Tears of a Tiger
 | |
| Author | Sharon M. Draper |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Simon Pulse |
| Country | United States |
| Series | Hazelwood Trilogy |
| Genre | Realistic fiction |
| Publisher | Atheneum |
Publication date | 1994 |
| Media type | Print(hardcover) |
| Pages | 162 |
| ISBN | 978-0-689-80698-8 |
| Followed by | Forged by Fire |
Tears of a Tiger is a fiction novel written by Sharon M. Draper.[1][2] It was first published by Atheneum in 1994, and later on February 1, 1996 by Simon Pulse, and is part of the Hazelwood Trilogy. It depicts the story of a seventeen-year-old African American boy named Andy, who feels deeply guilty for inadvertently causing his best friend's death through drunk driving. The story is told through multiple different formats such as journal entries, first person narratives, and newspaper articles.[3]
Main characters
- Andrew "Andy" Jackson : A teenager who feels major guilt for a fatal car accident, for which he was responsible in the death of his best friend Rob.
- Robert "Robbie" Washington : One of Andy's best friends and high school star basketball player who is killed in the car accident.
- Monty Jackson : Andy's younger brother who looks up to Andy and receives advice from him throughout the story.
- B.J. Carson : One of Andy's close friends who becomes deeply religious after the death of fellow friend Robbie.
- Dr. Carrothers : Andy's psychologist, whom Andy visits with on an irregular basis throughout the book.
- Keisha Montgomery : Andy's (later ex-) girlfriend and main support system.
- Tyrone Mills : One of Andy's close friends.
- Coach Ripley : The basketball coach at Hazelwood High School, the school where all of the story's students attend.
- Rhonda : Keisha's best friend ,Tyrones girlfriend
- Carmen Clatapus : B.J.'s girlfriend
Plot
Robert, Andy, Tyrone, Carmen and B.J. go out drinking after winning a high school basketball game. Andy is driving and crashes into a wall, resulting in the death of Robert. Andy feels responsible for Robert's death, and begins visiting a psychologist. to work through his guilt. Meanwhile, Andy begins having visions of Robert in his sleep, in which Robert blames Andy for his death. Later on, Andy becomes so guilty that he pushes away from not only himself, but also his girlfriend. Subsequently Keisha and Andy break up. His guilt and depression at an all time low, Andy decides to end his life. His classmates write letters to him, heartbroken that they have suffered yet another loss.
Awards
- 1995 American Library Association/Coretta Scott King Genesis Award
- 1995 A.L.A. Best Book for Young Adults
References
- ↑ Trupe, Alice (2006). Thematic Guide to Young Adult Literature. Greenwood. p. 1. ISBN 9780313332340. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ↑ Hinton, KaaVonia (2008). Sharon M. Draper: Embracing Literacy. Scarecrow Press. pp. 9–38. ISBN 0810859858. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
- ↑ Brooks, Wanda M.; McNair, Jonda C. (2007). Embracing, Evaluating, and Examining African American Children's and Young Adult Literature. Scarecrow Press. pp. 120–121. ISBN 9780810860278. Retrieved 2 January 2015.